Blood Fued
by AllianceXCross
Summary: Hiccup and Jack are the heirs of two feuding nations. When Hiccup finds himself in the heart of his enemies territory, he must conceal his identity in order to survive. Looming war threatens all Hiccup holds dear, and he must play a deadly game that may change his life forever. MATURE CONTENT, AU.
1. Characters

**A/C -** Hello! I am so excited to have another crossover of my favs Hiccup and Jack! This is going to be a little bit of a different story style for me (as well as for the community). I've had so many ideas that I wanted to try with these two but this one is by far the best! It's a little AU and OC but I'll be trying to stick to the original characters as much as possible.

I'm posting the first chapter kind of as a beta-test. A lot of planning and preparations go into my drafts so I want to see if this story is going to get any traction at all! I'll be reposting in a couple of weeks, so please follow/fav/review if you want me to continue this!

 **Characters:**

 **BERK (Vikings)**

Stoick, Chief of Berk

Haddock Horrendous III (Hiccup), son and heir to Stiock

Astrid, a member of the Vikings

Snotlout, member of the Vikings

Ruffnut, member of the Vikings

Tuffnut, member of the Vikings

Fishlegs, member of the Vikings

Gobber, member of the Viking Council

Drago, a former member of the Viking Council

 **BURGESS (Aerians)**

Nicholas Saint North (North), Regent of Burgess

Jackson Overland Frost (Jack), heir to the throne of Burgess

E. Aster (Bunny), Captain of the Prince's Guard

Sanderson Mansnoozie (Sandy), member of the Prince's Guard

Yeti's, member of the King's Guard

Jim Hawkings, a servant in the Prince's House

Pitch Black, a former member of the Prince's Guard

 **CORONA (Coroians)**

Gothel, Regent of Corona

Rapunzel (Zel), heir to the throne of Corona

Flynn Rider (Eugene), member of the Princess's Guard

 **ARENDELLE (Norwegians)**

Elsa, Queen of Arendelle

Anna, younger sister of Elsa and Ambassador for Corona and Burgess

Kristoff, member of the Queen's Guard

Olaf, member of the Arendelle Council

 **DUNBROCH (Scots)**

Merida, heir to the throne of DunBroch and messenger to Jack

 **REALM OF THE FEY (Fae)**

Toothiana (Tooth), Queen of the Tooth Fairies

Baby Tooth, member of the Tooth Fairies

 **FROM THE PAST**

Pippa, Jack's younger sister and second to the throne of Burgess


	2. Chapter 2 - Across the Riochian Sea

**A/C -** Alright, here is the first official chapter! Let me know what you think by review or message! I would truly appreciate the thoughts!

 **Chapter 1 - Across the Riochian Sea**

Hiccup was laying sprawled and spent on the fur-lined bed in his room. The small chamber was being lit by the burning fire in the corner. Hiccup felt a warm flush over his body as small, yet capable, arms wrapped around his bare torso. Her name was Astrid, and she was everything he could have asked for in a woman. She was strong, fearless and honest. Astrid was well-built and proved to be a very determined lover. Hiccup was twenty-one and of age to inherit his father's legacy. Stoick the Vast, the leader of the Vikings, was pleased that Hiccup had such a fine made woman by his side.

This was their first time, and Hiccup had felt green. He felt a deep anxiety to want to please his lover in every way possible.

"Thirsty?" Astrid rolled over to sit up. Her straight back faced him, and her long golden hair had fallen out of its usual plait, trailing down her back. Hiccup ran a finger down her spine, delighted by the flicker of her muscles in response to his touch. He heard the pitcher of water clank as she poured from it.

"I am, thank you," he said as she turned with a golden goblet. He sat up, looking into her face. "And you? Are you - I tried to.."

She smiled. "I'm fine, Hiccup." Astrid lifted a similar goblet to her lips. "Drink."

He did, but he noticed the thick after taste of the liquid as it hit his the back of his throat. Choking, Hiccup pulled the vile tasting water from his lips and it sloshed on the bed. "What -"

Astrid had stood up, her motion was a blur of colors and the room suddenly felt off centre.

He heard her say, "I'm sorry Hiccup. I'm so sorry."

"What's..happening…" But Hiccup couldn't finish his thoughts. The dizziness that threatened to swallow him whole had flipped his world upside down.

Blackness consumed him.

^.^

He had been in and out of consciousness countless times. Hiccup was distantly aware that he was on a boat, from the swaying motion he felt. If he had to guess, he was currently in the lower deck portion.

There were noises from people talking, an indication that he wasn't alone.

"What's happening?" He found his voice was raw. Details slowly coming back to him. He was in a dark cabin and creaked from the swaying of the large waves. He was at sea, he realized.

A male answered him in Old Norse, "we are heading to Burgess."

Another said, "Do you think they will execute us?"

"Why are we going there?"

Hiccup didn't speak. If he knew anything about Aerians than they would be executed, just for being Vikings.

Burgess, it was the largest Northern continent across the Riochian sea. It was also the strongest fort-holder among the Northern nations. Their armies were large enough to keep even Hiccup's father at bay from raids. Although, the Vikings and Aerians have engaged in many feuds with one another, from such raids. If Vikings were going to Burgess, there was a good chance that it would only end with their heads on a block.

Hiccup tried to sit up, finding his arms lashed behind him and shackled to the ground with rope. He had noticed there was a hay pile to the corner where he had, at least, half the consciousness to use and relieve himself.

When he returned to his own flattened pallet of clothe, he thought about the events that lead him here. He remembered being with Astrid, their wondrous union that had taken him years of courtship. And, how she drugged the water before he drank it. It was BloodFang - a deadly neurotoxin found in the high mountains that causes hallucinations at best and death at worst. When Hiccup had been trained in the mountains, he was forced to drink many different mixes of poisons to build an immunity. Astrid must have been mad, or truly desperate, if she had drugged him with such a potent poison and for it to take effect on him.

He remembered her apologizing. Or maybe he had hallucinated that, he didn't know. All he knew was that he was on a ship right into his enemy's land. The moment they found out he was Haddock Horrendous the III he would be killed on sight. But, the one thing Hiccup struggled with lying - he was even worse at pretending.

Hiccup shifted uncomfortably at something that scratched the skin of his back. He shifted again when he noticed the incessant scratching was from something caught under his clothes. Hiccup, who's shackles only gave him so much leeway, moved around until his clothing became loose enough to unstick what was hiding beneath his shirts.

A piece of parchment fell to the ground. Hiccup opened it and recognized the neat writing was Astrid's.

Inside, the letter said:

 _Hiccup, I am sorry to have done this to you but what is coming to Berk may have been far worst._

 _I only hope that you can forgive me._

 _A.H_

This was bad. If Astrid had thought shipping Hiccup to Burgess - the single most dangerous of the nations in the Northern continent, that hated Vikings - than whatever threat to Berk must have been great.

Hiccup wanted out of these chains and off this ship. He wanted to be back in Berk. He felt his blood thundering in his veins. Even though Hiccup couldn't stomach the idea of the Viking way, the thought of his homeland and his people in danger turned his blood cold.

The men continued talking amongst themselves and Hiccup felt helpless. Whatever Astrid had planned for Hiccup was on the border of impossible. He couldn't escape this situation. In the best case, he could pass off his identity. In the worst, he would be executed and have his head spiked on the front of an Aerian castle.

These men were Vikings, it was likely that they had recognized him, had at least set eyes on him at some point. Perhaps at his father's last raid. The last raid Hiccup had been apart of was when he was fifteen.

Hiccup had long since outgrew his fifteen year-old self. No longer was he the scrawny kid who couldn't keep up with drills. In order to impress his father, Hiccup reformed himself into the son his father could be proud of.

He even took part in the treacherous military training. Young Vikings, like himself, were sent deep into mountain camps. There, they were tested and pushed beyond their limits. The boys fought for their ranks, their food and their survival. Hiccup had spent his first couple months unable to keep up with the other Vikings and had to sleep outside, where, in the mountains, the weather is brutal. It was a miracle he had survived, when so many of his fellow Vikings had not. Not long after that, he was the top three of the troop.

Eighteen months in the mountains seemed like an eternity. But, when he came down from that mountain, he felt different. His body had been pushed to all its limits and there was hardly anyone that could keep up with him in a fight. He also had a highly capable mind, and could manipulate physical work, like wrestling, into a strategic mind game. It was all about how you approached the problem.

There was still something fundamentally wrong with Hiccup's training. Despite turning into the son his father wanted, Hiccup still could not stomach the idea of the Viking way. Even to this day, it felt barbaric and he understood why the other nations looked down on the Vikings. Vikings raided poor, defenceless towns. They killed dragons, and they often started wars and disputes between the nations.

To his father's dismay, Hiccup had only ever participated in the one raid when he was fifteen. It was across the Riochian sea, perhaps a days ride by ship, on small portion of Viking territory that still existed to the south. Stoick and his army arrived undetected and took out that small village. It contained a small union of Vikings who were banned from Berk and similar Aerian's who had been banned from Burgess - a small union of people who simply wanted to live peacefully.

Hiccup watched the raid happen, only half participating. He vowed that was the last raid he would ever take part of and found ways to keep himself busy enough that his father could not have him go to anymore. Enduring nearly two years in the mountains was worth it so he could never set foot in a raid, or dragon hunt again - another sport that Hiccup was not particularly fond of.

Hiccup was never a Viking at heart, but the thought of an unknown threat coming after his people had stirred at something within him. He was going to get back to Berk, he knew it, but it wasn't going to be easy.

When they arrived on land, Hiccup tasted the indifference of the Aerian men on the ship. They gave him and the other Vikings looks of distaste. Crude remarks were shouted at them behind their backs as Hiccup and the five others were tied together and walked off the ship.

Their guards pulled hard on the rope and Hiccup felt his wrists swell at the sensation. He reminded himself to remain utterly indifferent. If these people found out what bothered him, he was going to be in a world of trouble.

They were tied to the back of horses and walked to the large Burgess castle. Hiccup had heard that Burgess was an ancient structure, it was a surreal thing to see it in person. He thought he would never be here, at Burgess. The castle was made of grey stone with large, spiralling rooftops that appeared gothic and church-like.

Hiccup and the men were untied at the gates, this time they were shackled with iron. It felt heavy on Hiccup's already sore arms but he fought through the fatigue. It was clear that some of the other men did not, their heads were bowed and arms were slack. They were escorted inside and Hiccup catalogued every entrance, including how many guards he saw at each of them.

He noticed that once past the front gates, the guards were significantly less inside. Whether that was because the Aerian's thought they had superior parameter checks, or they were cocky, Hiccup wasn't sure. He remembered every turn they took, trying not to get lost in the massive, over furnished palace. It didn't surprise Hiccup that there were no expenses spared in the lavish decorations and architecture. Aerian's prided themselves in their wealth. However, Hiccup had to admit that Burgess was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Large marble arches and floors that were covered in deep red and gold carpets. The windows were wide and decorated with silk drapes. Nearly every wall had an elegant painting on it.

Soon, they were brought through a large set of double doors. Inside was a circular room. On either side, there were five men stationed on a large platform. They were all clothed in similar dark red cloaks. Each of the men had badges on a golden sash that had laid crossed over their chest and shoulders - Hiccup thought they might have indicated their ranks.

They were lead in front of the empty dias with two thrones that sat in the middle of the room.

Hiccup was brought, forceably, to his knees. His bones shuddered at the hard impact of marble and his head was roughly pushed down so his forehead touched the cold floor. He resisted the urge to struggle, but unlike him one of the Vikings to his left tried to fight back.

Hiccup couldn't get a good look, but he heard the sickening sound of flesh being impacted with something hard - likely the hilt of a sword. The Viking made a guttural sound that even Hiccup couldn't understand.

A loud, deep voice said, in Aerian, "All Rise for the Regency and the Crown Prince."

Hiccup had spent a lot of his free time reading books and learning dialects from the Northern continents. He knew most of the Aerian tongue by now, and was proficient enough in the other languages to hold a polite conversation. He always thought it would be better to know than not. It also helped that Aerian was the easiest language to penetrate compared to the Coronian and Norwegian dialects.

After the ringing voice of the Herald, the room shifted. He felt a stir in the air as footsteps clicked across the room to the dias.

The Regent and the Crown Prince. Hiccup racked his brain for their names, never needing to commit them to memory. He came up blank.

"Sit," the Regent said. Everyone sat down, but Hiccup and his fellow Vikings were still forced to stay on their knees.

The Regent was a mountain of a man. Hiccup had noticed the deep and thickly accented voice of the nations home tongue. The Regent wore fine colours of dark blue and gold. The fabric was probably the best money could buy, especially by the looks of all the layers they were strapped down in.

Then, he let his eyes settle on the young man sitting to the Regents right.

Hiccup had heard that the Crown Prince was beautiful and was caught, superficially, by his fair looks and youthful appearance. He wasn't particularly prepared for him to be that handsome, though. The prince sat sprawled in the throne elegantly, with one lean leg drawn out. White hair, like his uncle, was light and short atop his head, with a simple gold circulate perched there. Jack's skin was pale and offset his bright blue eyes. He and his uncle wore similar colours of dark blue and gold, offsetting the deep red of the council cloaks and guard uniforms. The fabric and style were a sign of their wealth and power. On the prince, the harsh blue seemed at odds with his fair colouring.

"Why," the Regent said in a deeply accented voice, "are there six Vikings chained before me?"

One of the guards that had accompanied Hiccup on their journey answered him. "These Vikings are outlaws - criminals from Berk. They have been accused of the murder of the Chief's son, Haddock Horrendous III."

There was a collective intake of breath from the councilmen.

Hiccup thought he was going to get sick - right there, in front of all these people. Is that why Astrid sent him on that ship? To fake his death and smuggle him out of the nation. Did she expect the Vikings to take the blame, or had she hoped that Hiccup was able to escape before they got to the castle?

All of this was wrong - it was so wrong.

"We have an agreement with the Vikings," the Prince said. Hiccup found that the young princeling had a very clear voice. "May I remind you, uncle dearest, that it was you who had insisted we allow the leader of that barbaric heritage to surrender their criminals to us."

A deal? Hiccup had never heard of this kind of deal before. And, he knew Stoick was too proud to ever make deals with Burgess on negotiations of this kind. Especially when, in Berk, criminals were executed by the passage of the Old Rite. Who, then, was this leader they spoke of? It certainly wasn't his father.

Things were making less and less sense, though they were beginning to point to the signs of foul play, Hiccup concluded.

"Jack," The Regent looked across to the much smaller figure on his right. "This is not the time to execute personal matters on the subject. We all know how you feel about the western continent."

"You think so?" Jack said. His voice was on the verge of mischievousness. "Well, we certainly have dabbled with the brutes of the west and now we must make our choice. Council, all of those in favour of executing the criminals of Berk for their injustice, vote now."

The Council room stirred and Hiccup was mad enough to defend his nation from the spoiled assault of a princeling. In a clear voice, he said, "is Burgess so eager to spill Viking blood that we will not even have a fair trial? "

Jack's eyes lit up as he leaned forward. Clearly, he was amused that Hiccup had known their tongue. And, he didn't just know it - he spoke it fluently. "You Viking's are full of surprises."

Hiccup didn't dignify that with a response. He only stared ahead at the young, pale-headed Prince. "We should be tried fairly, not executed for crimes we did not commit."

"So, it's not true that the Chief's son is dead?" Jack pushed.

Damnit - Hiccup couldn't lie, not when one of these Vikings could, so easily, point him out. Then, he would truly be dead.

"It is true he is dead, your Highness." One of the older Vikings on Hiccup's right said, in broken Aerian. Hiccup found his gaze swing to the older man. He was a Viking Hiccup had never seen before. Was he coached into saying this? Why would he confess to treason?

"This is nonsense," the Regent intervened. "I merely made a pact with the leader to lessen the amounts of raids on the continent. It was not a negotiation to have prisoners brought to my doorstep. Regardless of the crimes they have committed. Take them away until we receive further word from Berk."

The council muttered their agreements, that they did not want to dirty their hands with an execution of treason if it were not the case. Especially if it were to avoid any potential war with the Vikings. They agreed that the Vikings criminals were to be sent to the dungeons until they could get further word from the Western brutes. Then, when it was painfully clear they were done here, the Regent rose. He was a very big man, bigger than Hiccup's father was in height. The Regent gave the Vikings a final parting look, before he walked back towards a separate set of doors with a trail of large, heavily armoured Yeti guards behind him.

The Council also began their departure, only some stayed to discuss matters. Their voices were a little more than a whisper to Hiccup, who was still forced to stay on his knees. When the last of the council left, Hiccup was pulled up by the chains that shackled him.

Hiccup thought, once they were locked away he would speak to that older man. Perhaps he knew why they were here.

However, they were not dismissed just yet and Hiccup realized why. Jack had lingered on the throne, simply staring at the lot of Vikings in front of him. As if he hadn't just tried to have all of them executed only moments before. To Hiccup's dismay, their gazes met and Jack stood up in a fluid motion, making his way over to Hiccup.

"I want to speak to this one," Jack didn't look up from Hiccup. Jack said, "what's your name, sweetheart?"

Hiccup was not a very good liar - he was even worse at thinking of lies on the fly. It was his guard that answered for him. "The Berk Emissary insisted we call this one 'Hiccup'."

"It's in poor taste," another guard said. "To nickname a criminal as their late heir."

"Yes," Jack said. "They are a savage nation."

Hiccup may have had his qualms with the Viking way-of-life, but it made his blood thunder in his ears to hear his country-men talked about this way across the border. He forced himself not to react.

The Prince continued to regard Hiccup, who did not to stir from those cool blue eyes. He switched to the Old Norse Viking tongue, "you've been awfully quiet. Don't have anything left to say?"

Again, Hiccup did not answer and he tried to not be surprised at the clear way Jack could speak in his language.

"I want this one to serve for me, personally." Jack said to the guards, lifting his gaze. "You can throw the others in the dungeons, but I want this one."

"Your Highness," the guard said. "His Majesty the Regent will not agree to a prisoner with free rein in your household."

Jack didn't look phased at this. "I don't recall asking for your, or my uncles, permission. I want this one for myself, and North can take up the loose ends."

"Yes, your Highness."

Another long, cool gaze was sent Hiccup's way as Jack purred. "Besides, I think I would like to better know the man involved with killing the heir."

Jack drawled on Hiccup, stepping closer to him. If Hiccup dared, he could easily have had him in his grip. He played out the scenario in his head, take the Crown Prince as hostage and find a way back to Berk. However, each time he imagined it ended with him being tackled to the floor by his guards, who had, ever so slightly, tightened his chains.

"You and I are going to enjoy each other," Jack breathed.

Hiccup felt a hard pull on his chains at the same time his shackles were unlinked from the others. The other Vikings stirred, confused at what had just transpired between Hiccup and the Prince. Jack turned, not saying another word as he strolled out of the council room with an elegant grace.

Hiccup struggled against the pull as he was taken towards the opposite side of the room. Before they reached the doors, one of the guards stopped.

He gave Hiccup a vicious look. "This is for the raid that took my family."

Hiccup braced himself for impact as one of the guards held back his arms while the one who spoke threw a punch in his face. Hiccup's vision glittered with darkness. Another punch was thrown, then another and another.

The pain vanished as he was knocked into unconsciousness.

^.^


	3. Chapter 3 - The Mark of a Slave

**A/C -** Well, I got a little ahead of myself and wrote a ton for this chapter! Then..BOOM 7k words! It was impressive, but mildly nerve racking as I don't like writing long chapters. But, I just had to post it!

I don't have any particular day that I'm updating yet, but I'm aiming for a chapter every week to two weeks until I have a day I can consistently upload on.

Thanks for all the initial reviews on the pilot chapters! I'm really going to have fun writting this series. Please continue to review, favorite and follow!

Also, just a note: if there is dialogue in italics then it is in a different language!

 **Chapter 3 - The Mark of a Slave**

^.^

Hiccup awoke to find his jaw tender, but not broken. He slowly pushed himself up to his knees. He was in a fairly simple room, with stone walls and floors. Hiccup found his wrists were still shackled, but now he was chained to the far wall that housed a, single, barred window.

He stood and made his way to it. Outside, he saw the view of an open courtyard with a labyrinth-like garden to the far end of it.

He wondered how he was going to get answers now that he was a prisoner in the Prince's household. Did Astrid knew exactly what she was doing when she sent him here. He hadn't noticed before, but she had even clothed him in similar garments to those other men, with intentions that he would pass as an outlaw. Had she known about the agreement between this false leader of Berk and Burgess? Was this the danger she talked about in her letter?

Hiccup couldn't answer those questions. All he knew was he had nowhere to go and was now a captive of his enemy. He had no identity, and no help from Berk.

The single large, wooden door in the room opened. Hiccup turned to his visitors.

There were three men. One of whom was the second largest man he encountered in this province. Though muscled like a Viking, this man was taller and leaner. His cropped hair was pulled back into a, burnished gold, pony-tail down his neck and his eyes were a bright golden-green. He stood with an air of authority around him and Hiccup could see the corded muscles in his arms - the swirling ink of tattoos that appeared on his face from his lower neck. Hiccup thought those tattoos probably extended down throughout most of his body had he not been covered head-to-toe in aristocratic Aerian clothing of the Royal Guard.

The second man, dressed in the same guard uniform, was smaller and stockier. He had golden skin and hair that was spiked. The last of the visitors did not look like a man at all, or a guard. In fact, he looked as if to be a teenager. He was wearing a simple white tunic with a brown jacket and slacks. The boy had brown hair and bangs that framed his youthful face. His eyes, Hiccup thought, were shades darker than the unlikable arctic ones of Burgess's Crown Prince.

"So, you're the Viking that has caught the Prince's attention." The large man in the middle said. He gave Hiccup an assessing, patronizing, look. "I dun'no why the Prince fancies you, but let's get one thing clear, mate: you are a possession of his household now."

Possession. As if he were just a dog that the prince had found and wanted to keep. Nothing more than an animal. No. Worst, as if he were just a piece of furniture.

Hiccup also didn't bother to explain that he did not think the Prince fancied him. He doubt Jack even preferred him. Jack keeping Hiccup was for another reason entirely.

"He seems like the type to break his toys and get away with it." Hiccup couldn't help but say. It earned him a hard, swift, punch in the gut that sent him to his knees. The breath was knocked out of him. The chains pulled, hard, against his wrists.

"You do not speak of your Prince like that." The guard said as Hiccup looked up through his tousled hair.

Your Prince.

Hiccup hated how that sounded too - hated that this guards voice was ringing in his ears. He could see from the smirk on his guards face that this, this feeling, was the intention.

"This, here, is Jim. He is the servant you will be instructed under." The guard continued and pointed a finger towards the youngest of the three men in the room.

Jim gave Hiccup a slight nod of head, his bangs shifting with the movement.

"And will these be my accommodations?" Hiccup shifted his wrists so the linked chains clattered. "If I am property of a prince, I would think he could afford fancier housing options."

The stockier of the two guards stepped forward, opening his mouth to speak but the large guard signalled him to stop. "He's not worth it, Sandy. The barbarian knows that he'll never go beyond the limit of a chain while he's here. Serves him right to be treated like an animal."

Hiccup watched the guards as they took their leave with the young servant boy. When the door closed, he pushed himself up to his feet and turned back towards the window.

He gripped the bars, hard, and pulled on them while looking at the sea. Oh, how he wanted to be in Berk - especially when there was trouble stirring there.

On the other side of the door, he heard voices before another body entered. Hiccup wondered if he was going to get any time to himself while in this Thor-forsaken place. He had guessed not. Slowly, Hiccup turned to see his next visitor.

The door closed behind Jack, who casually stood in the room, alone and unguarded, with his enemy.

Hiccup noticed that Jack stayed outside the boundaries of Hiccup's chain. If he had pulled them taut, they would be standing no more than six inches away from each other.

Jack noticed this too, and grinned. He said, "nothing to say? Oh, don't tell me you're shy now that you and I are alone." His voice was a silken tone that was not pleasant.

"There are still guards outside the door," Hiccup said. He kept his voice neutral.

"Think I'm the type to scream?" said Jack.

"Step closer and let's find out." Hiccup took a couple, daring, steps towards Jack, the chains now taut behind him. Jack was significantly shorter than Hiccup was, but Jack did not look phased at the threat Hiccup presented. In fact, the prince seemed even more amused.

A hot tension spilled between them and Hiccup thought of the irony of this situation. An heir facing an heir. He also realized just how important it was to keep his identity hidden. It seemed like the entire Royal Guard wanted to kill the Vikings. It was even more important, he thought, to keep his identity hidden from Jack. Who knows what he would do if Jack found out Hiccup was the heir of Berk. So, Hiccup weathered the icy stare.

Jack said, "Why, do you suppose, did the Chief send me his son's killer?"

Hiccup knew better than to answer, and he kept very still.

Jack continued, his blue eyes unlikable. "Do you think he was grief stricken? It's poetic, really. The leader of a savage nation, who has taken away countless other families, finally loses all of his."

Hiccup couldn't see anything. All he remembered was the pounding in his head when he lashed out at the prince. How dare he talk about his father like that. The door opened the second Hiccup pulled, hard, against the chains and he was brought, swiftly, under control by the two previous guards. He was outmanned and, for good measure, his head was brought to the cool floor. His arms were restrained and the large guard grunted as he forced down more of his weight to keep HIccup still.

It pleased some deep part of Hiccup to know that the guard was exhausting himself to keep him restrained. He wanted to say, that without the chains, it would take even more than two men to keep him down. That didn't even take into account if he had a sword. If he had a sword, Hiccup would have been to the nearest ship and back to Berk by now.

His breathing was ragged as he looked up to the prince. His blood boiled and he knew that this is what Jack wanted - to provoke him into a frenzy. He forced himself to calm down.

Jack said, "it made me curious as to what you were before killing the heir. Perhaps a solider?"

" _If I were a solider maybe it would make you think twice about being alone in a room with me._ " Hiccup said in his own language as his face was shoved into the floor.

"Yes, that would be troublesome," said Jack, who could understand Old Norse. "You could easily add the name of two heirs to your list with that attitude and will-power. I bet that would please you very much."

Hiccup was prevented from anymore exchanges when, outside of the door, there was the sound of activity before it opened. Hiccup heard the footsteps of even more bodies in the, already, tight space.

"Jack," The Regent's voice said as his footsteps entered the room. "I'm glad I received word of your whereabouts."

"Yes, how lucky for you," said Jack.

"I've heard of your request for this young Viking, and it is denied." The Regent said. "Lock him up with the other criminals."

"And why," Jack drawled, "have you denied my request?" Hiccup could hear the displeasure in Jack's voice.

"You still harbour strong feelings for the Viking's. The last thing I need is for you to lash out at the prisoner and cause an even bigger rift between Berk and Burgess." The Regent looked over Hiccup with steely eyes. "Look at his face, I will not allow you to keep him if you intend on passing him off to the guards for entertainment."

"You're mistaken, uncle," Jack said. "I thought you would find it fitting that I take in an outlaw from the western continent to spread the message of peace across the border. Unlike the others, this one can speak our language and I think he would be more willing to the idea of supporting Burgess than the old, stubborn, ones."

Jack must have given some kind of silent signal to his guards because, suddenly, Hiccup was allowed to be unrestrained. The guards loosened their grip on him and, slowly, he rose.

Jack said, "the Prince's Guard will have strict orders not to handle the Viking in any malice manner. Unless, of course, it has a just reason."

Hiccup was aware of the Regent's eyes on him, aware of Jack's eyes on him. He knew what they saw: a brute of a young man, a savage who had killed the heir of his own nation. A Viking that has killed Aerian's with little to no remorse. They saw a man that was capable of killing and Hiccup could tell that bothered the Regent.

Even though none of that was true. These people didn't know him, they didn't know that Hiccup hadn't killed anyone. But, he knew it was pointless to argue that in a place like this.

The Regent stroked his long, thick, white beard. "I suppose it is a good idea to show the prisoners of Berk mercy. To show them the peace that could exist across the border."

"My thoughts exactly, North." Jack said, slyly. Hiccup's distaste and distrust for Jack ran hot through his blood. He hoped the Regent would see the motives behind this plan. Jack didn't want peace, he only wanted to prove that Vikings were powerless in Burgess because of whatever hate he harboured for them.

Possession, Hiccup thought. That's what the guard had said, and it felt even more so now that they were deciding his fate in front of him.

"Though I do not agree with your methods, I do agree you could send a message with this Viking. He is young and can be...trained. Perhaps, he can be of use after all." The Regent made his decision. "The Viking will serve in your household. But, I want sentries on him at all times. We will take no risks to his life - or yours, prince."

 _Great_ , Hiccup thought. _Just great_.

"Wonderful," Jack emulated Hiccup's thoughts. "Captain Bunny, show my pet to his rooms." Jack regarded Hiccup in his Viking wear. His nose crinkled with distaste. "And get him into proper clothes befitting of his title."

Captain Bunny, the large man with the tattoo's, stepped forward. "Yes, Your Highness."

Hiccup was grabbed, forceably, by his arms and restraining them behind Hiccup's back. The Regent and Jack regarded him carefully.

"I hope you know what you're doing with this one," North said. There was a genuine concern for his nephew in his voice.

Jack gave his uncle one last, cool, look before he strode out of the room.

"Is he always that pleasant?" Hiccup said as the Regent exited shortly after.

"No, mate." Bunny answered. "Ya' just caught him on good behavior."

^.^

Hiccup was washed and changed in standard Aerian garb, the same kind of linens that he saw on Jim. He supposed it befitted his rank: a servant.

Hiccup pulled at the clothes. They felt foreign on him. They clothed him in an green tunic with loose, trailing, ties that took at least an hour to do up.

In addition to the outfit, there were silver cuffs fastened to his wrists. He was fitted with them after he was taken from the circular room. The blacksmith fastened them securely to his wrist and they were heavier than they looked. Thin, matching silver chains and an emerald encrusted handling rod came with the cuffs. Hiccup found it ludacris as he could, easily, snap the chain in two. He assumed this was another jab from Jack, that if Hiccup wanted a pleasant time here than he was to listen and behave.

When he was shown his rooms, he had to admit they were...nice. It was a standard room, large with furnishings. There was a fireplace with a couch and table if he wanted to relax and read. There was also a large, four banister bed to the far side of the room. The lightning in here was natural, from the windows that were scattered along the nearest wall. He had a clear view of the front of the castle. Hiccup made his way over to one of the windows. He saw the large gates of the front and beyond them - green, rolling hills and then to the farthest horizon he saw the sea.

Home was close - close but so far.

He examined the distance from his window to the ground - it was an impossible feat to scale a wall like that and expect to find his way to the bottom. If windows were not an escape option, perhaps the doors were.

He moved swiftly to the only door leading to his rooms, pulling it open and was met by two, very large, Yeti guards.

They turned to him, grunting something intellectual.

Beyond them, he saw Bunny. "Tryin' to escape already?" he laughed. "It's useless. Your doors will have guards on them at all times, orders from the prince."

Hiccup shut the door, hard, and swore under his breath. If he did want to escape, it would have to come with time. Time and patience. One day, they will slip up their guard and that's when he'll be free.

Until then, he had to be compliant. He had to pretend that he was not a threat - that they could trust him. He also had to get a layout of this damned castle so when he did escape he wouldn't get caught.

Hiccup hated playing these games. It felt too dangerous, too many things could go wrong. In a sense that was the only way he felt like a Viking because he was stubborn and wanted to bust his way out of here, or he would die trying.

So, Hiccup waited. He had food brought to him on trays, a melody of cut meats and bread, during the late afternoon. Then, when the sun began to set he had another meal brought to him, something resembling a soup and more bread.

"No more visits from His Gracious?" Hiccup asked the golden guard, Sandy, that attended his meals.

Sandy gave him an amused look, but otherwise ignored him and left Hiccup alone in the tower room.

The next day, the same routine started again. He was brought meals and servants came, in with guards, to bathe him, re-dress him and then they left. It was the same routine for three days, and by mid-afternoon on the fourth day, Hiccup was restless. He wanted out of this damned tower.

He swung open the door, startling the Yeti's who stepped in front of him to block his path.

"Where is the prince?" Hiccup growled at the large, armoured, guards. "I need to speak to him."

The Yeti's struggled to keep Hiccup behind them and he tried shouldering his way through.

"I see someone has broken their silence," said a cool voice from behind the large bodies. "Let him pass."

The Yeti's stepped to the side, their armour clanking and Hiccup straightened. Jack stood directly in front of the long corridor that lead to the room Hiccup was in. Hiccup knew this was calculated: if, by chance, Hiccup got past the Yeti's than he would face Jack. Who knew what kind of training the selfish, condescending princeling had. Hiccup doubted he had ever been on the field. Jack probably had all the best trainers and his guards, with respect to their heir, would not fully engage in a duel with him.

Jack stood in the hall and was dressed impeccably well, but Hiccup expected nothing less. White and soft blue linens were strapped under a harsh dark blue, almost black, outer jacket that was fitted and fastened with various golden buttons. Brown pants interrupted the shades of blue and Jacks black boots were so shiny, Hiccup could have sworn he saw his reflection.

Hiccup took a deep breath and stepped passed his guards while Jack watched with an amused expression.

"Can't keep yourself still?" Jack said, "or have you been thinking about me too much?"

Hiccup wasn't going to be baited into one of these useless conversations. It was clear he was not going to engage, or entertain, Jack and the prince looked past Hiccup to the Yeti guards.

"Fetch me the handling rod."

They moved swiftly for such large bodies and the rod was attached to the small, fine silver chains fitted to Hiccup's cuffs. The Yeti's secured the chain and handed Jack the emerald rod. He held it out like he was going to take his pet for a walk.

Hiccup supposed that's exactly what he was about to do.

They walked down the hall, the Yeti's stayed back a couple paces in a formation behind Jack and Hiccup. Hiccup's hands were bound in front of him, his wrists a comfortable distance away but if he were to be chained like this for too long his body would become sore. He was not beefy like his father, but training had bulked him up considerably. His shoulders and chest were more defined and toned with muscles that began aching from being clenched together in the chains. Hiccup ignored it. It was best to not voice what bothered him while he were here.

Hiccup knew that he was staying on one of the top floors of the castle, it was confirmed when they took a set of spiraling stairs down another couple levels.

"The prince can't afford to get someone to fetch his barbaric servant?" Hiccup said as they passed more corridors to another set of stairs. This time, they were large and swept into a grand room with large pillars and chandeliers. The entire wall at the back of this room was made out of glass windows, overseeing an outdoor courtyard on a marble balcony.

"My barbaric servant," said Jack. "Has half my household in fear for their lives. The other half wants to kill him. So you'll see, it's best if I'm the one handling him."

Hiccup wasn't sure if that was satisfying news or not. He supposed that it kept his spirits in good health knowing that there were people who feared Viking's on this continent. Jack stopped on the bottom of the stairs and Jim appeared, kneeling, before his prince.

"Rise," Jack said and the servant did. Jack tossed him the rod that had Jim fumbling while he tried not to let it drop on the marbled, ivory floors. "Here is your help. I expect to see him put to work. And don't hold back on account of my uncle."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Jack did not turn back to look at Hiccup, he just simply sauntered off into another, unknown, doorway. Hiccup watched him with dissatisfaction.

"We have work to do," Jim's hard voice brought his attention back to the teen. He gave Hiccup a vicious look before pulling hard on the chains, leading him to a broom closet.

Hiccup saw the flurry of activity in the ballroom. Servants were frantically working in the grand room, he watched as they hung lights, prepared a stage for entertainment and brought out tables for finger food.

Hiccup said, "Hosting an event?" He hoped that, said event, was not a public execution of six recent Viking outlaws who, supposedly, murdered the Heir of Berk.

Begrudgingly, Jim said, "preparations for the Princess of Corona's visit."

Hiccup had heard of the province, Corona and Burgess had shared a southern border. They had direct trade routes to one another. They were probably two of the closest northern nations on this continent.

Jim unlocked the door. Besides Jack, who just liked to taunt Hiccup, Jim was the only other person willing to talk to him. "Why is the princess coming here?"

"For Jack. It's an unofficial signing of the Princess's hand in marriage."

"Unofficial." Hiccup said, "sounds like the prince is unaware."

"Oh, he's aware," said Jim. "It's unofficial because the Regent and the Prince haven't announced it. So that means it's best to have tight lips, Viking. Now, shut up."

"I don't care about matters across the sea." Hiccup grumbled. "How do you expect me to do any work with these on?" He showed his wrists and Jim regarded the chains, then the rod.

"You're right that is a predicament," Jim said as he grabbed a broom and dustpan. "But that's not my problem. I told you to shut up."

He pushed the broom and dustpan towards Hiccup, who could still use his hands but with some difficulty. Then, he was taken into a separate room across the the main ballroom, in a separate area. Jim unlocked the door and it creaked open.

The room was a disaster. The floors were covered in filth, the walls and decorations had dust encrusted on them. Hiccup couldn't even tell what kind of room this was.

"It's been closed for years," said Jim. "The Prince wants it open during the ceremony and has instructed you to clean it."

"Of course he did."

Jim unclipped the rod and chain from Hiccup's wrist. He almost thought the boy completely mental to unlock him from those chains when they were alone together in a room. Hiccup could easily overpower the young, slim, Jim. But, Hiccup understood why he unchained him: Sandy was in the doorway.

Jim smiled at this, "think you can take me because I'm just some dumb kid?" Then, he changed his grip on the handlers rod, striking Hiccup across the face. The motion was a blur of movement that Hiccup hardly caught before he felt the rod make contact with his jaw.

There was a metallic taste in his mouth, the sting of the metal was hot like blood across Hiccup's face. Had Hiccup seen the attack coming he could have stopped it, blocked it, but he hadn't known Jim would have this rage within him.

Hiccup steadied himself, his voice was left raw. "If you think you can take me, then by all means, go ahead."

Jim glared up at him, his breathing was shallow and the teen was shaking. He was, clearly, dealing with some kind of internal battle. Finally, Jim said: "Viking's killed my mother."

"Hitting me won't bring her back," said Hiccup.

Jim stared at him with an unreadable expression a moment longer before he tossed the handling rod across the floor. "I don't care. I liked hitting you, even if it won't bring her back."

"Is that what you want to do?" Hiccup opened his arms, making it an invitation as he stared at Jim. Slowly, he went to his knees. "Then hit me. Go ahead. You people seem to like hitting men who cannot defend themselves."

"Shut up!" Jim's breathing was ragged again. "Just shut up! You don't know anything about hitting a man when he's down. You're a Viking, the worst scum on the entire continent!"

Hiccup didn't say anything. He watched, with his hands outstretched, as Jim tried to control his breathing again. After another moment, Jim stepped back again, fixing his jacket.

He said, "don't get any funny ideas. I'll be back in a couple of hours and if this room isn't spotless, or if you've run off, I can assure you there is a cross with your name on it. Orders from the prince."

Hiccup watched the young teen leave the room. Sandy stood in perfect position against the door.

"I guess there really is one one here who doesn't want to see me dead." Hiccup raised an eyebrow at the golden sentry, who, dutifully, ignored him. What Jack had said earlier was eerily accurate: half his household really did want him dead.

Viking's had made it clear how they felt about other nations. Hiccup did not disagree that he deserved this. Even though he didn't take part in the raids, he didn't do anything to stop them. And, he knew the consequences of being a Viking in the Northern continent.

Hiccup sighed and looked around the room, there was no point in worrying about this now, and he figured he should look for a place to start cleaning. This task was nearly impossible to have done by tomorrow. And, if it wasn't done… he wondered if the threat were true. He had heard of people being flogged, it was another thing, entirly, to be the one flogged. The flogging post, or the cross, as Jim called it, could break a man.

Jim had come back a couple of times to drop off more supplies such as scrub brushes, a bucket of lukewarm water and a mop. This time he didn't try to hit Hiccup with the silver rod, or any of the other cleaning supplies. Hiccup ignored him and figured that he should start on the walls. He grabbed the scrub brush, water and started to scrub at the grime accumulated there.

Hiccup had never performed a serval task in his life, but he supposed this one would not overwhelm him. In Berk, duties such as cleaning were done by slaves. Even his own father had a young male slave that could take care of mediocre tasks at home such as cleaning and washing. Hiccup did not know if, across seas, the Aerian's had ever taken part of the slave trade. But, in Berk, slaves had other uses too. They could be used for entertainment, or as pleasure slaves.

Hiccup had never dabbled in pleasure slaves. He had never felt the desire to, that, and his full attention was on courting Astrid for so many years. But, he had known some of the other Viking youths had taken slaves. Snotlout and Tuffnut once used a pleasure slave. She was, Hiccup had to admit, beautiful. He remembered the slave had black, long hair that was braided and wrapped around her shoulder, resting on the mount of a firm breast. Her body was supple, not in a Viking way, but it allowed her curves to show themselves through the slave garment in a more feminine way. Hiccup remembered her eyes when she did look up to her master - they were the deepest blue he had ever seen.

He remembered the day well. The girl was a gift to Snotlout for his eighteenth birthday. Hiccup had long become immune to the idea of commanding a pleasure slave, but he wasn't the only teen Viking on the island with needs. Snotlout's eyes had lit up when he took one look at her: perfectly pliant as she prostrated herself on the floor at his feet.

Astrid had thought the idea was outrageous, but Snotlout was, clearly, smitten with his new pet. That night, he and Tuffnut tried her out.

Hiccup continued to scrub away the grime and dirt on the walls. There were no windows in this room so it was impossible to tell what time it was. But Hiccup perferred this, the physical work, over being locked in his stone tower for days. It wasn't like training with a sword, or fighting in a wrestling match, but the repetitive motion of hard scrubbing burned at his body all the same.

He had scrubbed and scrubbed, the Yeti's having to refill his bucket countless times. Hiccup didn't complain at all. He just kept cleaning the encrusted dirt.

It was barely sunrise when Hiccup finally dragged himself up the stairs into his tower, guards trailing. He was exhausted, and it felt good to feel exhausted. He shuffled over to his overly-plush bed and didn't even bother to change out of his dirty clothes when he fell onto it.

^.^

"Ow," Hiccup said as one of the servants tried to comb and clip his hair the next morning. Next morning wasn't accurate, since Hiccup had only had, maybe, an hour or so of sleep before he was rudely awoken by servent hands tending to him.

"Stay still," one of them breathed from behind him. Hiccup was sitting in a chair while one servant worked on his hair. Another was working on his feet while another one dressed him.

" _You are a clumsy, poking lout_ ," Hiccup grumbled in his own language. No one spoke as they continued to fuss over him. Hiccup had noticed that today, unlike his gaudy linens from yesterday, he was dressed in something else.

Attached to his silver cuffs were two, finely cut, drapes of sheer silver fabric. They attached to the black leather and silver-studded shoulder piece that was fastened over his neck. A similar belt was fastened low on his hips and strips of that black studded leather were fastened on the belt, draping down to Hiccups mid-thigh. His feet were shoved into soft, pointed silver slippers.

Hiccup saw his reflection in the mirror. He looked nothing like a Viking man, who had worn layers of thick leathers and furs and armour. Instead, with his exposed arms, chest, stomach and thighs, he looked like he was a bed slave.

Slave.

Hiccup was attached to his handling rod and walked down the tower. He began memorizing the turns, the details, such as; how many entrances there were, and how many guards were at said entrances.

They took a separate corridor and Hiccup found that they had entered the council room. Unlike his first visit here, it was empty except for the single dias in the middle of the room. Another chair was there, with a table attached to it. Hiccup eyes the supplies that was neatly strewn on the table. It was a series of needles, mallets and a bowl of ink.

Hiccup was taken to the chair, that he now noticed had straps across it. His handler unhooked his left arm from the chain and it was extended, palm down, across the table, then strapped down with a cuff across his forearm and bicep. Hiccup struggled against the hold of his guard as they pushed him back and continued strapping him into the chair.

"It took me a long time to decide what to do with you. Should I simply use you as a servant, throw you into the Guard or announce you as my personal slave." Jack said as he entered the room. He was flanked by Sandy and Bunny.

Jack gave Hiccup a long, lingering, look. "It was quite difficult to guess your measurements. Perhaps I should have opted for the panoly off the horse."

"What is all of this?" said Hiccup as he watched another man enter. This man was full of black tattoos from his face and across his chest. His skin was his canvas and it was, suddenly, very clear what kind of tools these were.

Jack's cool gaze was on him. "I've realized you haven't been marked yet."

"Marked," said Hiccup.

"Yes, I own you. Everyone should know it by now. Oh, don't give me that look." Jack said. He moved to the dias and took up an elegant sprawl, completely content. "Everyone in my household is given a mark."

Jack gestured to Bunny, whose own mark was evident on the skin on his neck that his guard uniform could not cover up.

"Does everyone in your household dress like this too?" Hiccup said. He knew he should have been more careful but Jack didn't seem to mind making his life here a living hell, regardless if Hiccup played nice or not.

Jack frowned, "no it's not a practiced custom. I've taken the liberty of learning a few things about you," Jack drawled. "It was only fair."

Hiccup stilled. Every instinct told him to fight free. _He knows_ , Hiccup thought. _He knows and he's going to kill me_.

But, Hiccup pushed down the overwhelming feeling of anxiety and forced himself to stare into those blue eyes.

"Bunny tells me Viking's are quite versed on the use of pleasure slaves. Would that bother you: to serve for me as a slave rather than as a servant?" Jack smiled at Hiccup and it was not pleasant.

Hiccup's heartbeat faltered. "Would your uncle approve of this?" He knew the Regent, North, was a reasonable man. Surely, he wouldn't allow Jack to use Hiccup in such a demeaning manner.

"My uncle," Jack said. "Is busy in meetings with the council planning my wedding proposal. So you'll see, he won't know until what's done is done. I guess we'll both be in for a bit of a surprise."

"Is that what you told the servant boy too?"

"Yes, I did hear you were hit. Does it hurt?" Jack was talking about the red welt across Hiccup's face, now bruised along the edges of his jawline. He also had a split lip. "Oh that's right, I recall. You stood still and let the servant boy hit you."

Hiccup said, "whatever you need to tell yourself in order to sleep at night."

"I'm certainly going to enjoy that wicked, cruel mouth of yours." Jack said, then lifted a fine wrist, ending the conversation. He settled on the throne that was directly in front of Hiccup.

It was, Hiccup realized, a calculated position. From his vantage, he wouldn't see the needle and mallet being worked into his flesh. Instead, he would just see Hiccup's face.

Hiccup tested the straps that had only allowed him a couple of inches to move his wrist around. Hiccup also realised that the clothes, the incredibly degrading clothes, were also a calculated move to show Hiccup just how insignificant he was here.

"What mark shall I give him, Your Highness?" the tattooist said. He bowed deeply at the waist.

"I'm not sure yet," Jack said. "I'm sure I'll figure it out soon. How about we start across the bicep."

The tattooist grunted his reply, then moved to his instruments on Hiccups left. Hiccup tried to wriggle out of his chair and quickly found strong arms hold him back.

The tattooist filled a contraption with black ink and was now leaning over Hiccup. He braced himself for the pain but before it came, a blindfold was quickly pulled over Hiccup's eyes. Now, lost in total darkness, he was not expecting the pain that came with the first impact of the needle.

Hiccup had never had a tattoo, had never wanted one, and he knew the pain those who sought them endured. It was grueling and exhausting. The tattooist pushed in the first round and Hiccup threw his head back, flexing his arm unconsciously.

Without sedatives the process of a tattoo was much worst. Hiccup felt every push and pull of needlework and it burned across his arm and shoulder. Every now and then, the tattooist would pause when he had to add more ink and Hiccup let his head drop as he focused on his breathing.

The design, which Hiccup wasn't even sure of, was in grueling detail. He felt the work expand across the diameter of his bicep. Then, when Jack had called for it to be extended, the design began to flow over his shoulder and chest. One of the guards had to stretch Hiccups skin on his pectoral as the tattooist finished the design there. He was covered in blood, sweat and ink when the tattooist had stopped for a long moment. At one point, Hiccup had felt entirly numb - or had he blacked out? He wasn't sure.

"Your Highness, this is my best work yet." The tattooist said, and Hiccup could feel everyone's eyes on him as he sat, blindfolded and panting, in the chair. Hiccup was surprised he hadn't cried out from the relentless pain, coming from his left side, that burned at his entire body.

Jack said, "Yes, it most certainly is. But I feel like it is missing something."

There was more movement in the room, something large was being wheeled in. Hiccup could smell the burning coals - he was familiar with the scent when he worked as a blacksmith apprentice for Gobber when he was fifteen. From behind him, Hiccup felt the guards pass a foreign object into his mouth. He accepted the bit past his lips. But, this was not a gag that was used to shut him up. No, this was a mouthpiece crafted out of wood and wrapped in leather so that a man could clench his teeth on when under the whip. It was used to help a man endure pain.

The guards tightened it around Hiccup's head and he tried to keep his breathing even.

The sound came first: the sound of metal sizzling and snapping in the air, seconds later the jagged pain burned through him.

Hiccup jerked against his restraints as the hot iron pressed, hard, into his right shoulder. It obliterated his consciousness of everything else, and the blinding pain ripped across his body. It was barely given a moment before a second brand of hot iron was pressed into his shoulder, just under the last one. Hiccup pressed the back of his head into the chair and - just took it. He clenched his teeth into the bit, muffling any sound that came from his lips. He was unable to think, or feel, of anything beyond the pain. The smell of burning flesh hit his nostrils and they flared at the atrocious scent of it.

"Ah," drawled Jack. "Yes, that's enough. I see that was exactly what we were missing."

When the bit was removed, Hiccup couldn't keep his words in check. In a rough voice, he said, _"you've wanted to do that since the day we arrived. Tell me, what was it that kept someone like you from doing it? You are cold-blooded and manipulative."_

"You can you thank him for that," Jack said.

" _Who_?" Hiccup snarled through the pain.

Hiccup could barely keep his head from hanging but he dredged up any remaining bit of will-power and looked straight ahead to where he knew Jack was sitting - even though he was still in a blindfold. It took a long time before Jack had answered, his voice raw.

"The Heir of Berk, son of Stoick the Vast - Hiccup Haddock Horrendous III. The man you murdered."

There was no more voices after that. The room was unnervingly quiet except for the departure of footsteps. The guards that had brought Hiccup from his room did not even bother with the handling rod and chain. They knew Hiccup was in no fighting position - he posed no threat. They just grabbed his arms and hauled him back up to his tower. Hiccup made the trip, for the most part, upright.

Back in his tower, Hccup was stripped of the degrading garments, and shoved into a pair of pants (to protect his chest and shoulders). In addition, Hiccup was also rubbed down with a salve, the tattoo was bandaged (to protect his chest and shoulders) and he was given a special body pillow to sleep on that would prevent him from rolling on his sides (to protect his chest and shoulders).

When all of the servants were done tending to him, Hiccup had finally had the blindfold removed. He then moved to the bathing chamber and faced the mirror. His eyes were, instinctively, drawn to the brand marks across his right pectoral muscle. The salve had helped with the swelling but did very little for the pain. Branded into his chest was the the Burgess insigma: a design resembling a snowflake encircled within a sword.

Through his chest, he could see his breath rising and falling. He could see his heart pounding under his skin as he thought about the manner of tattoo on his body. He was told not to take off the bandage until after the tattoo healed in twenty-four hours but he had enough of caring. He unravelled the bandage from his chest, shoulder and arm, then stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Across his bicep and chest black ink swirled into a design of a dragon unfurling its wings. There was incredible attention paid to the detail of the dragon. Hiccup stayed completely still, looking at the lines and shadows of the dragon scales, the eyes and the talons. It was unnervingly accurate, the lines work was done beautifully and Hiccup coudn't decide if he hated it (because of what threat it posed to the Viking's war on dragons) or if he loved it.

There was a second tattoo further down his arm. A second tattoo that was very familiar. Hiccup had seen them before, had known the meaning of them back home in Berk. These were the tattoos he had seen on the slave woman Snotlout was given. He had seen them on his own slave.

The second tattoo was the mark of a slave.

They were whorls of ink that extended below the dragon tattoo, down the length of his forearm. The design was simple, brutal and effective. It wrapped around his forearm and wrist, stretching along the back of his hand to the points of his knuckles.

He could never hide this, Hiccup thought. That's why Jack did this blindfold, because he knew Hiccup would resist.

 _'Would that bother you: to serve for me as a slave rather than a servant?'_

Hiccup didn't realize just how truthful that remark was.

Because with a mark like this, Hiccup could never escape. If he had ever found a way out of this damned castle, the mark would give him away and he would be forced into the slave market. Even if, by some miracle, he did make it home, if he ever returned to Berk, they would know he served as a slave. They would reconize the Burgess Royal Seal, in the exact spot he was meant to have his Chief mark branded on him. The Viking's would see it as a betrayal. His father would disown him, his tribe would call him a traitor and then they would kill him.

He was never going to escape.

Jack had been discrete earlier when he said he had information about Hiccup. He didn't just know about Berk being a slave culture, but he knew about the mark given to a Chief. Jack had planned for this outcome, had planned the tattoo, and branding, in advanced - even the meticulous detail of the dragon was the result of Jack's attention to detail. But these marks... it was unlikely that anyone from Burgess would have know about the marks that were given to slaves in Berk.

Unless Jack was given information directly from the Viking's. It occurred to Hiccup that Jack had five prisoners, currently, being held in the dungeons below. Jack was excellent at manipulating emotions and it wouldn't take much in order to get them to spill everything they knew. Or, they could've, easily, been desperate enough for their freedom and told Jack about the secrets of the island culture.

Hiccup stared at marks and wondered just how long he was going to last in this castle

^.^


End file.
